Selling clothes for children is a sought-after business, because children's clothes are always in demand. The business is suitable not only for megacities, but also for small towns.
In the article we will give step-by-step instructions on how to start this business, what can be difficulties and pitfalls.
Children's clothing store format
First of all, it is necessary to decide on the format - an online store or a regular store. In this article we will look at the plan for opening an offline store.
You can sell things for kids from 0-16 years old or stop at a specific age and direction:
- things for newborns and children up to 3 years old;
- clothing for pre-school and primary school age;
- school uniforms;
- dressy clothes, carnival costumes;
- sports stuff for kids;
- girls-only/boys-only stuff;
- clothes for teenagers.
You can also sell baby shoes, food, toys, stationery and some other accessories for babies. The assortment can be very different.
Assortment of children's clothing store
Whichever direction you choose to open a business from scratch, it is important to ensure the availability of all sizes in this category. One of the most promising options is a store with clothes for newborns and children up to a year. The assortment of goods for the youngest practically does not change for many years now.
Natural fabrics, quality tailoring, pleasant design and adequate price are the main requirements. As a rule, in addition to clothes, such stores also sell diapers, bedding, baby food, toys, etc.
As for children's clothes for preschool and primary school age, then here the parent will give preference to durable and high-quality things that will survive more than one fall or bathing in a puddle.
It is most difficult to choose an assortment of things for teenagers. At this age, parental opinion loses authority, children try to be independent and want to imitate adults. 
You can also open a commission store, a second hand store or a stockist with things for children - those places where you can find very cheap but high-quality second-hand and new clothes for children whose parents cannot afford too much. Such a business idea is also quite interesting, especially in a crisis.
Store registration, OKVED, taxation
Owners of small retail establishments most often choose to register an IE (Individual Entrepreneurship). Opening an IE can be done in a week, the cost is within 1000 roubles.
OKVED code 47.71.1 - Retail trade in men's, women's and children's clothing in specialized stores
The taxation system is simplified. Different options are possible - simplified taxation system income (15% from net profit), simplified taxation system income minus expenses (6% from total revenue), unified taxation system (fixed amount of tax does not depend on actual profit). In the tax authorities will also need to put a cash register on the books. In addition, the opening must be coordinated with the city administration, as well as obtain a trade permit from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service, Rospotrebnadzor and firefighters.
If you are going to open a business on the territory of the shopping center, then part of the worries will be taken by the landlords.
Choosing a premises for trading in baby clothes
You can open a small children's clothing store with an area of about 20 square meters, but it is better to rent a room of 50 square meters. There should be enough space for all the goods, fitting rooms, showcases, shelves and a department for the salesperson.
The choice of location depends on the target audience you are aiming at. A budget store with popular goods can be opened in a dormitory district. Store more expensive price category is desirable to open in the central district of the city, in a place with good permeability. Not a bad option is considered business start-up in a popular shopping center. If you want to rent a space in a residential building, it is possible on the basement or first floor.
A good idea for business on the sale of children's clothing is considered to open a store near schools, kindergartens and other institutions designed for children.
It is important to assess your competitors. There is no point in starting a business if there are already several similar stores nearby. Look at what competitors are selling, analyze their pricing policy, see how many customers they have. Do not copy their assortment, but try to occupy an empty niche.
Design and store for children's items
Once the premises have been chosen, you need to renovate and buy equipment. Come up with a catchy sign with a memorable name, buy accessories and set up a small corner for children with coloring books, books and colored pencils.
Hang pictures or posters on the walls. Any clothing store should have mirrors, display cases and racks for goods, fitting rooms. Their number and specific models depend on your assortment. Furniture should also be bright, comfortable and soft. Remember that after all, your institution is designed for children and their parents, so the design of the room plays a very important role. An example of the original design of the room you can see on the photo:
Advertisement
To open a successful children's clothing store and make the first customers permanent, you need to take care of advertising. Most customers are attracted by discount cards, various promotions and sales. Be sure to develop a system of discounts and holiday offers.
In addition, do not forget about standard advertising - hand out flyers, arrange a festive opening, think about publications in the media, outdoor advertising - on transport, billboards.
Suppliers of children's clothing
In Russia, the main suppliers of children's items remain China - these goods have good quality combined with low prices and a huge range of products. In addition to the well-known Aliexpress, there are TaoBao and 1688.com stores
Nowadays, more and more young entrepreneurs are ordering clothes from China in bulk from online stores and then reselling them with a large markup. This is a convenient and popular option for opening and developing a business. The minus is that you have to wait a long time for delivery.
You can also cooperate with domestic suppliers, especially since all their products are made according to GOST. The advantages of Russian manufacturers include an adequate price and fast delivery. More expensive options - Turkey, Italy. Clothing from these countries costs more, so you need to assess at once whether there is solvent demand.
You can experiment and combine different suppliers. After some time after opening, you will assess for yourself what is more profitable to sell and which suppliers are better to cooperate with.
You can open a branded children's clothing store through a franchise program. This option is particularly popular with first-time entrepreneurs. Risks in this case are much less, but there are many restrictions (special design, ban on the sale of things of other brands). Franchises are offered by Zara, Gulliver and other companies
Staff of a children's clothing store
To open a good children's clothing store from scratch, you need to hire 2-4 salespeople who will work in shifts. These should be experienced professionals, it is also important to be able to communicate with children. This is a very important rule that should be taken into account during the search for employees. In addition, the seller should always be polite, neat, smiling and communicative. See to it that he/she communicates properly with the customers and is not annoying in any way. You can hire a store manager or perform his duties yourself. You will also need an outsourced accountant and a cleaner.
Before starting any business, you need to draw up an accurate business plan. Now let's try to roughly calculate the costs and income of a successful retail establishment. The one-time costs include rent, repairs, purchase of equipment, purchase of clothing from suppliers, registration and advertising. You can well fit in 800,000 - 2,000,000 rubles.
Every month you will have to spend about 150,000 roubles on rent, advertising and staff salaries. From time to time you will need to order new goods from suppliers, which will cost about 100,000 - 500,000 rubles. As reviews show, a good children's clothing store will pay off on average for 1-2 years. The average monthly profit is from 100,000 rubles. All figures are approximate. 
Children's clothing store - a profitable business, but it has its own nuances. Carefully analyze the demand and solvency of your target audience, choose the right place and be prepared to wait at least 1 year for payback.
It will be interesting to read:
- How to open a cosmetics store
- Guidelines for opening a foreign language school
- Private kindergarten as a business
English 
Russian